This carrot snacking cake is made in an 8x8-inch square baking dish and it's topped with the most delicious ginger cream cheese frosting! Each bite of this carrot cake is tender, spiced, and filled with fresh ginger flavor.
Welcome to week 2 of my new Lynn's Desserts series, where I share tried & true bakery recipes that have been made hundreds of times.
This carrot snack cake is a dreamy combination of moist and tender texture with warming spices. Plus, it has not one but three different types of ginger for an extra kick that really takes the cake to the next level.
A snack cake (also called a snacking cake) is a single-layer cake that's typically made in an 8x8-inch square pan. It's a weekday-friendly cake that's perfect for post-dinner snacking, and it's much less intimidating than a layer cake.
Even though this cake is on the small side, it doesn't skimp on carrots. We're using half a pound of grated carrot, which is 4 large carrots! It's cake with a heaping side of Vitamin A.
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Why this recipe works
- Tried & true: Adapted from a bakery recipe that has been made hundreds of times!
- Versatile: While the recipe is written for an 8x8-inch pan, this carrot cake also works as a classic layer cake, as carrot cupcakes, or as a circular cake.
- Texture: Just like with zucchini bread, fresh carrot adds moistness to the cake without contributing to the flavor too much. True carrot cake flavor comes from the spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Frosting: Topped with a foolproof cream cheese frosting that's gently tangy and sweet. And that has a pinch of ginger, of course.
Ingredients
- Whole carrots: I recommend grating whole peeled carrots instead of buying bags of matchstick carrots. Use the smallest holes on a box grater.
- Ginger: We're using both fresh and ground ginger in the cake for the most flavor impact. In the cream cheese frosting, you can add crystalized ginger, which is optional but highly recommended!
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves: Adds warmth and depth.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar and light brown sugar. The cake isn't overpoweringly sweet.
- Canola oil: Vegetable oil also works. I don't recommend using olive oil as the flavor tends to come through the cake.
- Butter: Unsalted works best.
- Egg: Two large eggs. Preferably room temperature but it's not a deal breaker if it's not.
- Cream cheese: Choose the full-fat kind for the best flavor and texture.
- Powdered sugar: Also called confectioners sugar. I recommend weighing powdered sugar for the most consistent measuring.
- Nuts: Toasted walnuts and pecans are a great addition, but they are optional.
Steps to make the cake
- Grate the carrots finely using the smallest holes on a box grater. Use the same holes, or a small microplane, to grate the fresh ginger into a paste.
- In a mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or a mixing spoon to stir together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, softened butter, and oil until well combined. Because of the oil, it won't come together as well as a classic sugar & butter cream, so don't worry if it looks slightly grainy. Mix in the eggs and vanilla.
- Stir in the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, optional allspice, and fresh ginger.
- Fold in the grated carrot. The batter will be on the thicker side.
- Use a stick of butter to lightly oil the baking pan. I like to add a square of parchment paper to the bottom for easy release. Transfer the cake batter to the pan.
- Bake at 350F for 25-35 minutes. Check the cake for doneness starting at the 25-minute mark. Be very gentle with the oven door and don't shake the cake pan. The cake is ready when slightly domed on the top, the edges will be golden and pulling away from the edges of the pan, and the cake bounces back when touched gently.
Author's tip: Let the cake cool for 5-10 minutes before gently removing from the pan and transferring to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before frosting.
Steps to make the frosting
- The cream cheese and butter should be room temperature for this step. Use a hand mixer to cream together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, just 30 seconds or so.
- Stir in the vanilla, ground ginger, and half of the powdered sugar. Continue mixing on low speed. Once the powdered sugar is incorporated, add in the remaining 3.5 ounces. The cream cheese frosting should be thick but easily spreadable.
- Add a splash of milk if it is too thick, or add ¼ cup at a time of powdered sugar if it is too thin.
- Fold in the optional crystalized ginger. I recommend dicing the ginger into tiny pieces so that it distributes evenly into the frosting. Frost the cake and top with chopped pecans (optional.)
Top tips
- Looking for a vegan option? You might like these vegan carrot cake muffins instead.
- I use this parchment paper cut into squares for my 8x8-inch baking dish. This allows the cake to release easily from the pan.
- Metal pans are best for baking cakes. I use this Nordic Ware 8x8-inch pan. If using a ceramic baking dish, note that the cake will likely take longer to bake.
- I use a kitchen scale to measure out the ingredients most consistently and I highly recommend that you do too! If you don't have a scale, make sure to "spoon and level" flour into the measuring cup. This means spooning flour into the measuring cup until overflowing, then wiping off excess with the back of a knife.
FAQ
Yes, this snack cake makes 12 standard carrot cupcakes. Fill the cupcake liners about ⅘ full. Bake at the same oven temp (350F) for only a few minutes less than the 8x8-inch cake. Start checking the cupcakes at 20 minutes. They are ready when the top is golden and domed.
One 8x8-inch snack cake is approximately one layer of a layer cake if using a 9-inch cake pan. The cake will bake a touch more quickly in 9x9-inch pan than 8-inch. Simply multiply the recipe by 2-3, depending on how many layers you'd like to make, then divide the batter between cake pans.
The carrot cake itself is dairy-free, but it can't be made egg-free without a few ingredient swaps, because eggs are vital to the structure of the cake. To make the cream cheese frosting dairy-free, simply use dairy-free cream cheese and butter.
This is a forgiving cake that's hard to overbake. Err on the side of baking for too long. Let the cake bake at least 25 minutes before turning on the oven light or very carefully cracking the oven door to check on it.
I end up baking the cake for almost 35 minutes, but every oven is different. Whatever you do, don't shake the cake pan or slam the oven door, as it can cause the center of the cake to sink and collapse. Talking from experience here.
Here are a few ways to tell it's ready:
1. The cake should be pulling away from the pan at the edges.
2. The center will appear slightly domed and very golden. This is a dark cake because of all of the spices, so don't worry if it's becoming very brown.
3. Inserting a toothpick into carrot cake isn't super helpful because it's a moist and oily cake, so the toothpick probably won't come out wet even if it's still baking.
4. The cake bounces back when gently touched. It should be lightly springy. If it just indents, continue baking.
Storage tips
- Storage: The cake should be stored in the fridge because of the cream cheese frosting. Because it's such a moist cake, it doesn't dry out too much in the fridge.
- Freezing: Carrot cake freezes well. Freeze the entire cake or freeze it in slices. Let thaw at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.
- Prep in advance: The carrots can be grated up to 48 hours in advance. Keep refrigerated in a tightly closed container, as the carrots will dry out if the container is left open and that will affect the cake.
More delicious cake recipes
If you're looking for more single layer cakes, check out this sour cream chocolate cake. It's also a part of the Lynn's Dessert series.
This recipe is part of my Lynn's Dessert series, which features classic bakery recipes that have been made hundreds of times. If you enjoy this recipe, make sure to check out one of the many other desserts in the series or leave a comment below to let us know what you think.
Recipe
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Ginger Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- 1 8x8-inch metal baking pan this is the one that I use
Ingredients
Carrot Cake
- ½ pound grated carrots from about 4 large carrots
- 1 inch fresh ginger
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened at room temp (half a stick)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 ounces light brown sugar just under ½ cup
- ¼ cup canola oil vegetable oil also works
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon allspice optional
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ cup chopped nuts, such as pecans or walnuts optional
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese see note
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temp
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons chopped crystalized ginger optional
Instructions
Carrot Cake
- Peel the carrots. Grate the carrots finely using the smallest holes on a box grater. Measure out ½ pound (8 ounces), or about 1 cup grated carrot and set aside. Use the same sized holes or a small microplane to grate the fresh ginger. Measure out 2 teaspoons of grated ginger. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease an 8x8-inch metal baking pan with butter. Place a square of parchment paper in the base of the pan for easy cake removal (optional.)
- In a mixing bowl, use a hand mixer on low speed or a mixing spoon to mix together the softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and oil until well combined. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract until just combined.
- Stir in the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, optional allspice, nutmeg, dry ginger, cloves, and 2 teaspoons grated ginger.
- Once combined, fold in the grated carrots and optional nuts.
- Transfer the cake batter to the prepared 8x8-inch pan. Bake at 350F for 25 to 35 minutes. Check the cake for doneness starting at 25 minutes (be careful not to slam the oven door or shake the cake pan.) When the cake is done, it should be slightly domed on the top, the edges will be golden and pulling away from the pan, and the center should spring back went touched gently.
- Let the cake cool for no more than 10 minutes before gently removing from the pan and turning out on a cooling rack. Once cooled completely, top with the cream cheese frosting and optional pecans. Enjoy!
Cream Cheese Frosting
- The cream cheese and butter should be room temperature/softened for this step. Use a hand mixer to cream together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the vanilla, ground ginger, and half of the powdered sugar. Continue mixing on low speed.
- Once the powdered sugar is incorporated, add in the remaining 1 cup. The cream cheese frosting should be thick but easily spreadable. Add a splash of milk if it is too thick, or add additional powdered sugar ¼ cup at a time if it is too thin.
- Fold in the crystalized ginger. I recommend dicing the ginger into tiny pieces so that it distributes evenly into the frosting. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- I use a kitchen scale to measure out the ingredients most consistently and I highly recommend that you do too! If you don't have a scale, make sure to "spoon and level" flour into the measuring cup. This means spooning flour into the measuring cup until overflowing, then wiping off excess with the back of a knife.
- Brown sugar: 3 ounces is not a standard US measurement, so if you don't have a kitchen scale, just measure out a scant (just under) ½ cup brown sugar.
- Cream cheese: I recommend using full fat cream cheese for the best flavor and texture.
- To make cupcakes: Makes 12 standard carrot cupcakes. Fill the cupcake liners about ⅘ full. Bake at the same oven temp (350F) for only a few minutes less than the 8x8-inch cake. Start checking the cupcakes at 20 minutes. They are ready when the top is golden and domed.
- To make a layer cake: One 8x8-inch snack cake is approximately one layer of a layer cake if using a 9-inch cake pan. The cake will bake a touch more quickly in 9x9-inch pan than 8-inch. Simply multiply the recipe by 2-3, depending on how many layers you'd like to make, then divide the batter between cake pans.
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